


Rose-tinted

by sugarsugarskull



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: College AU, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Mutual Pining, Recreational Drug Use, figuring out your place in the world, fluffy soft boys go to college, phichit is a force of nature and does not hide it at all, yuuri is a nervous wreck and hides it well
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-23
Updated: 2017-08-02
Packaged: 2018-12-06 00:07:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,147
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11588976
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sugarsugarskull/pseuds/sugarsugarskull
Summary: Phichit gapes at the guy pouring a nitro energy drink into a plastic coffee mug, he snaps a picture, for posterity's sake.When his auntie comes to pick him up from college orientation she asks him what he thought of the university."I saw a guy about to kill himself," said Phichit conversationally, "with coffee. I tried talking with him, but I scared him off."His auntie clicks her tongue, "Honestly sweetheart, we've told you to tone it down. Haven't we?"Phichit sags in the passenger seat. "Yes," he murmurs.





	1. Chapter 1

-July to September-

 

It’s 6:30am when Yuuri hears the shutter snap of a phone’s camera. He blinks sluggishly against the sand still crusting his eyes and doesn’t look up, continues pouring and mixing his coffee. He’s got two tests today and a paper due _tonight_ ; he doesn’t have time to look up at random shutter snap sounds of someone taking a selfie. He’s not worried about the recital. That’s pure fun, he’s excited for that and it’s in three days.

“My condolences to your family.”

Yuuri grabs the cinnamon and unscrews the lid, the little punched-out holes aren’t enough and he’s got five minutes to get to his study group. He glowers while pouring cinnamon into his coffee at the thought of his study group. Jerks jerks jerks.

“Your jacket is cute, can I have it? Afterwards. I love the little dog sown onto it.”

Yuuri jerks his head up, “What?” He can’t place the accent, but it rings in his ears. He sees a handsome boy standing in front of him, holding his phone up.

“After you die. Can I have your bracelets?”

Yuuri looks down at himself, the myriad of threads and beads criss-crossed over his wrist, frowns. “No? I’m not sick. Do I look sick?”

The boy, dark skin and darker eyes, grins. “Because of that!” He points at Yuuri’s coffee and the empty nitro energy can standing by it.

With deft movements, Yuuri brushes the empty can into the trash and screws the lid on his plastic cup, pulling it into his chest, “I know what I’m doing,” he mumbles, taking a step back. He doesn’t hear what the boy says because he’s out of the coffeeshop, stalking away as fast as possible, ears smarting.

Yuuri avoids the coffeeshop until the start of the fall semester, confident that the shutter-happy boy wouldn’t be back. Because the boy was only on vacation, because he was shopping around for colleges and didn’t like NYU. Simple explanations.

Thankfully, the line is long this morning and Yuuri get to recite his order in his head, chanting the words over and over, a continuous loop, he holds it behind his teeth, ready to be spit out.

“Hey! You!”

Yuuri flinches and squawks when a warm, brown hand closes over his wrist.

“Sorry, sorry! Just last time you ran away so fast I didn’t want you to go without giving you my number! Here! Here! I have to run, you’re a maniac. I love it. Come find me at the library, I’m working there! Byeeeee!” He pushes a scrap of paper into Yuuri's hands and takes off, waving like crazy, smiling big enough to split his face.

The order rams itself back up into Yuuri’s head, jammed in the back of his throat where he can’t reach it when it’s his turn. He stares at the cashier for a full ten seconds, trying to see if his order will slide back into his mouth, feeling his face get hotter and hotter. Flames must be licking their way up his hair.

“The usual?” asks the cashier, looking exhausted. It’s 7am and already she looks dead. Dead and mummified. There might be sand and old papyrus scrolls tucked into her pockets for all Yuuri knows.

“Yes,” squeaks Yuuri.

“Okay. Cool. I’m taking one shot away though because you look three steps away from a heart attack and I don’t want that on my conscience. Yeah?”

Yuuri nods, hands over his money and is back outside within five minutes, blinking at the beating August sun. He sags against the glass wall of the coffeeshop. He drinks half of his coffee in one pull giving himself a brainfreeze that momentarily blinds him of the need to think of anything other than the stabbing pain in his nasal cavity.

He doesn’t go back to the coffeeshop for a month.

He also doesn’t text the number that’s burning a hole into his pocket, and then burning a hole into the wood of his shitty dorm room desk.

August folds to September and the oppressive heat gives way to a cooler fall wind. It’s perfect for daytime runs.

The campus is spread out over several miles, acres of sidewalk and turf to tread. Yuuri is out trying to outrun his thoughts when he spies a familiar shiny black head of hair and a familiar bright green phone case.

His thoughts are a few miles back and he sprints towards the boy. “Stop! You! Camera guy!” Yuuri comes to a screeching halt, almost knocking into the guy.

“Coffeeguy!”

He’s exhausted and the words just spill out of him like vomit, “I’m so sorry I have your number but I was just so nervous and you-“ Yuuri’s mind catches up with him, brain and mouth grinding to a halt when Camera guy’s friends grin and stare at.

“It’s okay! Um, I have to go, actually. I’d invite you but um- you- your clothes.” Camera guy is blushing and hiding his grin behind his phone.

One of Camera guy’s friends wolf whistles and Yuuri blushes. He hasn’t done laundry in a few weeks and the only exercise clothes he has was a pair of black legging and a shirt that said _SALTY_ (a terrible gift from his roommate) that was more of a rag than a proper shirt.

“Um. Right. Sorry. I- Here. My phone.”

Yuuri hands over his phone, disconnecting the headphones.

Camera guy types in his number and then holds out his hand, “Phichit. I’m glad you’re not dead.” Yuuri wipes his sweaty hand on his leggings before touching Phichit’s palm.

“Hah, finals. You know. Yuuri.”

Phichit sighs and frowns, “So I’ve been told. This is my first semester.”

Yuuri drops Phichit’s hand, “Don’t procrastinate. Well, I’ll uh, let you go. Sorry again about... Um yeah.”

“See you later, Yuuri! Stop avoiding your coffeeshop because of me.” Phichit gives him a knowing look and says, “Just don’t have a heart attack.”

“Um,” squeaks Yuuri and then nods, turning around to keep jogging.

Phichit watches Yuuri run away with narrowed eyes, cute but awkward. But hey, people like him and Yuuri had to stick together. He turned back to his friends, “Let’s go people! We’ll be late!”

...

“Yuuri Coffeeguy!”

“Heh. Hi again,” Yuuri waves at Phichit, “Um, I’m really sorry about not-not texting or anything-“

“Psh. I can tell you’re not the kind of person to make friends with random weirdos, right?” Phichit’s smile was gentle, but there was a sharp edge to it.

“R-right. The phone case is um, the giveaway you know.”

“Huh?”

Yuuri pointed to Phichit’s phone. “Guinea pig?”

Phichit gasped and staggered into the wall of the coffeeshop, “How absolutely dare you?!”

Yuuri covered his grin. “Not guinea pigs?”

“No!” shrieked Phichit, prodding Yuuri’s shoulder, “Not guinea pigs! Hamsters!”

Yuuri snorted and they went to stand in line, “Oh my mistake. How dare I.”

Phichit gasped again. “You are a filthy liar Yuuri Coffeguy! I thought you were this shy sweet-thing, I’ve been bamboozled by those cute glasses and- and-“

Yuuri had turned beet red, “U-um?”

Phichit pressed forward, “I can’t believe you played me like this? Do you just go around lying to people you want to be friends with? You pretend to be quiet and then once the person is ensnared you dive in for the kill?”

“Oh, haha. N-not really?” Yuuri relaxed, and turned to give his order. Once they were seated, Yuuri picked the conversation back up. “I’m crap at making friends.”

“What?!” Phichit reared back, pushing his sugary drink back, “But you’re adorable?”

Yuuri grinned around the straw of his tea, “Maybe at first. But eventually people figure out I’m actually a huge bitch.”

Phichit gasped, “Language!” He paused then leaned forward, “Explain?”

“Oh the bit-?“

“No cursing!” said Phichit, narrowing his eyes, “I will not have it. I am a youngin’. As they say here in America.” He looked so pleased by the phrase that Yuuri giggled.

“I don’t think anyone actually uses that word. And um, as to the other thing. I’m. . .” Yuuri folded in on himself, and chewing on his straw, shredding it between his teeth, “I’m not patient with the people in my cohort, at least the ones who don’t take the classes seriously. They think I’m a jerk. Also, the awkward thing- Yeah.” Yuuri shook his head, dispelling some other thought.

“None of that’s inherently bad though,” said Phichit, passing judgement, dark eyes glittering. “Being competitive is so necessary in most things!”

Yuuri shrugged and wrinkled his nose when he noticed the shredded straw. “So what are you majoring in? Is it your first semester?”

Phichit sunk into the familiar questions, they were questions everyone had. “Music and communications. I’m double majoring.”

“Wow,” said Yuuri, “That’s great. Tough. I’m surprised I haven’t seen you around the arts building.”

Phichit leaned back in his chair, indolently waving his half empty coffee in the air, “Eh, I’m going all of my gen eds in one go. What about you? What are you in for?”

“Sports physcial therapy. I love it.”

“Cute.” said Phichit, “Is that why you expected to see me around the arts compound?”

“Yup,” Yuuri managed to finish his drink through the shredded straw, “But I mostly go there for my, uhm, recitals.”

“Your _what?_ ” Phichit’s eyes laser focused back onto him.

“Oh, my minor’s in dance, so-“

Phichit grinned, “That’s amazing! I wondered why the hell you were so- so- um. Well, why you were out running in the middle of the day.” The pink that crept across Phichit’s face quickly disappeared, he leaned forward, “My friends and I are going out dancing this weekend. You want to go?”

“I- uh. Where are you going?”

“Just the strip of bars that are within walking distance of campus. Say you’ll come! Show me your moves!”

“You might uh- have to bribe me with some alcohol,” said Yuuri, grinning. Was it really this easy to make friends? Was this all there was to it? It seemed unlikely to Yuuri, but then Phichit pulled out his phone and started showing him pictures of his friends so Yuuri would know their names and faces before Saturday. Maybe it _was_ this easy.

...

“I can’t believe they let you in here! Are you sure _I’m_ allowed in here?”

This was the third time they hung out. Phichit looked over at Yuuri while he set up the transfer machine and carefully placing an old vinyl record onto it.

“Are you going to break anything?” A rhetorical question, he stuck his tongue out at Yuuri. “Come on, kid, you’re handling plastic, not glass.”

“I’m older than you,” said Yuuri, and Phichit shrugged and turned on the transfer machine. The dark, liquid tones of Nina Simone rang out to them and Phichit crooked his finger at Yuuri and shook his hips.

Yuuri grinned and hid behind a shelf of records.

“Whaaat. Yuuri tell me you liked Saturday. I had so much fun with you!”

“Nope. Sorry.”

“Bummer!” Phichit did not look or sound sorry. He whirled to Nina Simone’s dark voice, mouthing the words along, protagonist to his own personal music video.

Yuuri popped his head out from behind a shelf, face pink, “I really really loved Saturday, I don’t remember the last time I had so much fun. Your friends are really nice.”

“Yuuri! I’m so glad!” Phichit stopped dancing for a second, “Hey, what kind of dance do you specialize in? Please tell me it’s something cool and not lame like... square dancing. I hear that’s a thing in America.”

Yuuri could not have made more ridiculous noises if he hadn’t been caught off guard. “What?! N-no no. I um, well I used to dance ballet, but I could only pick one concentration since it’s only a minor. And ballet’s... really hard on the body. Like horrible.” Yuuri shuddered, and Phichit really wanted to know what that meant. “So I switched to contemporary once I got to college. To you know, break away from- New start.”

“Ah,” said Phichit, doing that thing with his face where Yuuri knows he’s going to say something stupid-wise for all that he was barely eighteen. “I didn’t take you for a run away.”

Yup, there it was. Yuuri focused on a psychedelic album cover, letting his vision go out of focus, “Mmm, not run away. Just. I’m from a small town. It’s-” Yuuri’s mouth dried out. He liked Phichit, he was a nice person, but Yuuri wasn’t ready to talk about Hasetsu. “an old town.”

“And what better city than New York. So far away from a sleepy old town in Japan.” Phichit took down another album, and replaced Nina Simone with the broad black grooved disc. He flipped the machine on and a song started playing while the computer took down the entire album, reformatting and increasing the quality as well. “Youuuu ran away,” said Phichit, “Lots of people run!”

Now Yuuri was curious, “Did you?”

“Nope! I left because my parents wanted me to see the world.” Phichit looked quickly away, humming happily. A little too loud.

“It’s okay if you don’t want to tell me,” said Yuuri, coming closer, holding an old jazz CD, flipping the plastic case open and shut. “I’m not expecting you to tell me your life story. We’ve barely known each other for like, a week.”

“Am I that obvious?” Phichit smiled, abashed at being caught out.

Yuuri shrugged and handed the jazz CD over, “Can we listen to this next?”

“Sure!”

They spend the rest of Phichit’s shift at the library fooling around with Yuuri choreographing half-assed moves for them. It was so much fun and Yuuri felt the perpetual knot in his chest loosen. He was going to be okay. As long as Phichit was his friend, he’d be okay. All he had to do was not fuck up his friendship.

He looked over to Phichit going through the silly routine he’d made, dark hair flopping into his face, cheeks red with exertion, bright smile directed at Yuuri.

“You going to let me look like a fool all by myself?!”

“Just for a minute,” said Yuuri; laughing when Phichit slipped his sandal off and threw it at him, missing by a mile.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for reading!

-October-

**Yuuri-** Hey, Phi. So.... I just got sexiled.....

**You-** Say no more. Pick me up outside the psych bldg? I want to try the burger place on main. pls pls pls *puppy eyes*

**Yuuri-** Why do you even have a class so late?

**You-** The earlier times got in the way of my ONE dance class. No way Im letting a fkkn 141 gen ed get in the way of shaking my ass to Top 40!

**Yuuri-** >.>

**You-** ARE YOU ON YOUR WAY???

Yuuri tucked his phone away and picked up the pace, by the time Phichit got out of class, he was sitting on a cold stone bench.

“Dang,” said Phichit, “They didn’t even let you grab your computer?” He eyes Yuuri sloppily dressed in a thin sweater and a beanie with pinched  ends that looked like cat ears. He didn’t even have a scarf.

Yuuri looked at the ground, mumbled something.

“What? What was that?”

“I was just eating cereal when the noises started. I heard... so much- Traumatized.”

Phichit clapped his hands and shrieked, throwing an arm around Yuuri, “Was that the first time!?”

Yuuri grabbed Phichit’s hand that was thrown over his far shoulder, “Man, I wish. Honestly, it’s getting a little annoying, I feel like I have to wear bells on my ankles.”

“That’d be _super_ cute and you know it,” said Phichit, allowing Yuuri to drag him away, “Can I drop my stuff off first? My bag’s super heavy!”

Phichit’s dorm room was small and rank with B.O.

Yuuri wrinkled his nose and Phichit rolled his eyes, nodding to showed he agreed.

“Eyyy, Phiiii!” The roommate was whip thin with a low voice, “Going on a date?”

“Yup,” said Phichit tersely. Yuuri was surprised; he’d never heard Phichit’s emotions dip below exuberant. “Try not to piss in the room while I’m gone.”

Yuuri went rigid and consciously backed out of the room. Phichit crammed a baseball cap on his head and slid into a jacket. “Don’t wait up, and don’t bring anyone home.”

“I told you, Phi, my only love is cartoon girls, I can’t get it up with-“

Phichit slammed the door closed. “Sorry you had to see that.”

“I feel like I have to wash my hands,” said Yuuri faintly.

“Mhm,” Phichit grimly lead the way back out, “Try living with him.”

Yuuri felt a faint horror seep into him as they walked down the stairs and back out, “You shouldn’t have to deal with that. Can’t you ask for a transfer? Throw a fit or something?”

“I... don’t think I should do that.” Phichit shrugged his shoulders, “Come on. The joint closes in a couple of hours. Let’s hurry.”

.

“Just choose any old thing!” Phichit leaned over the table, trying to snatch the menu out of Yuuri’s hands in exasperation.

“No no!” Yuuri held the menu out of reach, “I’ve got it. I’ve decided. Come on, I gain weight really easily.”

“Do you really?” Phichit stared at Yuuri’s sharp face, unable to imagine Yuuri as anything but thin as a whip.

“Like a bear going into hibernation,” said Yuuri darkly, earning him a giggle from Phichit. They put in their orders, Phichit slathering on cheese and sauce on his burger, Yuuri forgoing bread in favor of a lettuce wrap.

“I don’t get it,” said Phichit, “You exercise so much. Why eat so skimpy?”

Yuuri shrugged, but smiled and tossed Phichit a napkin, “You’ve got sauce.... everywhere. I need muscle, not fat weight. Muscles are heavier. Have to be careful and keep a balance.”

“Ah,” said Phichit, “You should have gotten your degree in nutrition.”

Yuuri shrugged, “Eh, I like moving more than studying, and-“

“Katsuki!” Two hands gripped his shoulders, and pressed down. Yuuri gasped and jerked forward, was immediately released. “Hah, twitchy as always. Good burgers, right?”

Yuuri turned and laughed, “You jerk!” Yuuri turned back to Phichit who’d half-risen out of his chair, “It’s alright. She’s part of my dancing cohort.” Yuuri introduced Amelia to Phichit.

Phichit smiled brightly at Amelia, “Come eat with us!”

“Oh thank you but, I’m actually heading out. Oh! Yuuri, there’s a party at my place tonight! You should _totally_ come this time! Bring your friend!”

“Ah, well actually-“

“Yuuri! Do you _really_ want to go back to my gross roommate?” asked Phichit skeptically, “or your horn dog roomie?”

“Right...” Yuuri grimaced, “The party sounds great, th-thank you for inviting us.

Amelia laid hands on Yuuri’s shoulders again, digging into the taut muscle there. “Roommates are the worst.”

Yuuri groaned and nodded.

“They’re both animals,” chirped Phichit, “Although I admit that mine is just passively annoying...”

“He’s disgusting,” replied Yuuri, “I’d rather be sexiled.”

“Every few days? Yuuri, you could be classified as homeless by now.”

Amelia laughed, “You two are so dumb. Why not just become each other’s roomies? You seem like good friends.”

Yuuri’s smile froze on his face, “O-oh, thank you for the suggestion. Good bye.”

Amelia rolled her eyes, “See you tonight Katsuki and Katsuki’s cute friend.”

..

After spending ten minutes assuring Phichit that he didn’t need to go put make up on (it’s an American party, we’re guys, no one expects us to look good!), they take a cab to Amelia’s apartment.

The party was loud and all Yuuri wanted to do was grab a beer and go hold up the wall. Instead, he forces himself to drag Phichit to the one couch, pushes him down and leaves, comes back with two full cups.

“It’s called jungle juice.” Phichit sips it and laughs at the taste.

“You’ve never had it before?” Yuuri sloshes his cup and laughs when Phichit shakes his head. Yuuri dumps his share into Phichit’s and says, “Drink up. I’ll make sure you don’t die. Welcome to your first kegger.” Phichit drains the cup and smacks his lips expectantly, as if waiting for the alcohol to hit him right there.

“It’s not doing anything,” pouts Phichit.

“Oh it will,” says Yuuri, grinning broadly, “So...” He fiddles with his cup, denting the soft plastic, “Roommates.”

“R-right!” Phichit neatly stacks their cups, “I hate my roommate and you hate yours.... If you don’t mind...”

“Living off campus is a lot cheaper. We could get an apartment.” Yuuri bites the inside of his cheek, he doesn’t want to look like an idiot, but he also hates his roommate. “If- If you don’t mind sharing with me, I guess.”

Phichit shakes his head, “Of course I don’t mind! I’m just lucky no one else has asked you to room with them!” Yuuri stares at Phichit and laughs shakily, he’s shredding his plastic cup.

“I’d want to get something cheap though, so it’d have to be far away or shitty.”

“Something near the subway line, then,” said Yuuri quickly, not wanting to scare Phichit off by looking unsure, “So even if it’s a little far...”

“Perfect!” said Phichit excitedly, “Or.... We could also become strippers and pay for a _nice_ apartment!”

“No!”

Phichit laughed, “Okay okay. It’s a dumb suggestion, I know- It’s the alcohol talking.”

Yuuri snorted.0 “We could get a studio,” he said thoughtfully, “It would be bigger than the dorms and I wouldn’t mind a loft bed. Cheapest option I think.“

“Oh you’d _do_ that?” Phichit throws his arms around Yuuri, squeezing his neck, “That sounds great, but we hardly know each other, and I still know how much you value your quiet times.”

Yuuri nods, “Yeah. But... you’re not complicated, you never try to be... I mean, you try to be understanding. Thank you.” Yuuri turns pink, feeling like an idiot, and Phichit wants to kiss him.

“Oh dear,” giggles Phichit, covering his face, curling up and leaning into Yuuri’s arm.

“Hit you?”

“Hit me,” snorted Phichit, his head felt too light and his limbs noodly.

“Let’s dance,” said Yuuri, getting up and dislodging Phichit’s head from his shoulder. Yuuri feeds him water and then drags him to the dance floor.

Someone has a shitty light-up ball that throws the room into different swatches of colors and Phichit laughs, using Yuuri to steady his movements. They jump around and mouth along to the lyrics, laughing and swaying to the syncopated rhythm. Yuuri allowed himself one beer and Phichit clung to him after chugging two more cups of mixed liquor.

The night ended with Phichit throwing up in the upstairs bathroom while Yuuri frantically called his roommate.

“Hey...”

“Hey, buddy. It’s safe to come home, sorry in advance for the smell.”

“Ugh.” Yuuri patted Phichit’s back and handed him a water.

Rube just laughed in his ear before Yuuri hung up.

“Drinking... so much fun,” said Phichit blearily. Yuuri sighed, “Uh huh. Come on.”

Yuuri darted into a corner store to buy Phichit a sport’s drink and a toothbrush before they stumbled up the stairs to his apartment. Phichit was _a lot_ heavier than he looked.

“It’s all muscle, babe,” said Phichit, patting his chest. Yuuri snorted, “Sure, sure.”

“Meanie!” chirped Phichit swaying into him while Yuuri tried opening the door.

“GOD!” yelped Phichit, “It smells disgusting!” Yuuri silently agreed, hustling Phichit into his room.

He stuck the toothbrush into Phichit’s hand and pushed him into the bathroom, keeping guard outside.

“You’re my best friend,” said Phichit once they were both curled up in bed.

“You’re drunk,” said Yuuri, hiding his smile behind a fold of blanket.

“Not mutually exclusive!” said Phichit indignantly, he reached out and condescendingly patted Yuuri’s hair, “You’re so silly. Can’t you tell? We’re such a good match for one another, we’re already best friends, we just have to get to know one another. Okay?”

“Okay,” whispered Yuuri, “If you feel like throwing up, the trashcan is right there.”

“Mm,” said Phichit before falling asleep.

...

“Yuuri?”

“Noooo,” moaned Yuuri, flipping around. Phichit giggled.

“Yuuri, I have to go okay? I’ll text you later.”

Yuuri grunted and pulled the blanket higher up. Phichit patted Yuuri’s shoulder fondly and quietly slipped out of the room.

“Nice dude.”

Phichit flinched when Yuuri’s roommate leered at him; Rube was sitting at the kitchen table in nothing but some stained unders. Gross.

“I was wondering when the little turd was going to get his cherry popped.”

Phichit wasn’t sure about what Rube meant _exactly_ , but he had a sinking suspicion. He nodded stiffly at Rube’s smirking face and fled the apartment.

His own stinky roommate was gone Phichit thanked the heavens and got ready for the day, texting Yuuri while he sprinted to catch his bus.

**You-** Are you up?

**Yuuri K.-** I am technically awake. unfortunately,,,

**You-** Good! :) I’m glad you’re not dead! I was worried when you wouldn’t wake up!!

**Yuuri K-** I hate waking up early.

**You-** A night owl!! I should have guessed. All that caffeine..... anyway, I have a volunteer thing. See you later! Also your roommate is a dick.

**Yuuri K-** yeah... he was being weird this morning. im sorry...

**You-** no! HE should be sorry. he’s a grade-A creep!!!  >XC Don’t worry, i’m going to be the BEST roommate everrrr.

Phichit barely made it onto his bus, he bounced his leg while he waited for Yuuri to respond. But Yuuri never messaged him back, and Phichit felt himself wilt. He held off on texting Yuuri the entire day, focusing on helping create care packages for refugees. Some of them spoke a little Thai and Phichit almost wept in relief. He was so grateful to his auntie for making him do this, it was worth getting up so early on a Sunday morning if it meant he got to speak in his native language with people who were also starved for the familiar.

The hours go by quickly and Phichit finds himself clocking out, tired and satisfied with his work. He checks his phone, sees notifications and messages from everyone except Yuuri. He clutched his phone and breathed in deeply; Yuuri wasn’t a flake. He was a nervous turtle who needed protecting. Maybe a shy bunny would be more apt, Yuuri was too cute to be compared to a turtle. Maybe he’d look like a turtle when he was old.... Phichit wasted ten minutes while he waited for his bus looking up pictures of old Japanese people. So... Yuuri would be a dignified rabbit even when he was older, definitely not a turtle. He giggled at himself and decided to call his auntie.

“Hi auntie! How are you doing?”

“Ah, Phichit. Little minx, it’s been a long time since you called me,” his auntie’s voice was full of affection, “How are you? Eating crap I bet.”

“No no,” lied Phichit, he had a cake for dinner yesterday, “I’m eating green things,” the cake was mint chocolate.

“Of course,” said his auntie, sounding like she knew the lie intimately. “How are you behaving? Controlling yourself, are you?”

“I...” Phichit’s mouth dried up, he thought of Yuuri’s unanswered text.

His auntie sighed in disappointment, “I thought getting you somewhere new and strange with a language barrier would curb your annoying aspects, but it hasn’t, has it?”

His phone chimed with another incoming call.

“S-sorry auntie, I have to go. My boss is calling me.” The lie was thick in his throat, clumsy. His auntie would surely call him on it.

“This isn’t a conversation that will go away sweetie.”

“I know. I really do have to go though. I- I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright, we can work on it together, okay?”

“Yeah.” Phichit injected cheer into his voice, “I’ll call you soon auntie. Love you.”

“Love you too dearest. Behave. Take deep breaths.”

“I will,” he promised, and hung up. It took him a moment to remember he was supposed to answer the second call.

“Hello?”

“Oh thank goodness, I thought something was wrong. You never _don’t_ answer,” Yuuri sounded breathless and a little bit hysterical, “Usually you pick up on the first ring or text right away why you can’t answer if you’re busy-”

“Yuuri! _Yuuri._ I’m okay. I was on the phone with my aunt.”

“Oh... Sorry.... I.. did I interrupt you, I didn’t mean to-“

“ _Yuuri!_ Hush! It’s fine. My aunt was being mean to me so it’s fine.” Phichit rubbed his forehead, he hadn’t meant to hush Yuuri.

There was a solid five seconds of silence on the line.

“Did.. you _hush_ me?”

“Uhm, yes?” Phichit winced.

“Also where are you? I’m at that apartment complex just around the corner from the grocery store we like. The one owned by the cranky Korean lady whose name we think is Yu-Na, but-“

Phichit cackled, “Yeah yeah! I’m a few miles away, why are you there?”

“Uhh, did you not... Oh crap... I thought I’d sent you a text message...I’m really sorry. I’ll make it up to you. I’m really sorry-“

“Yuuri!”

“S-sorry.”

“It’s fine. If you stop apologizing I’ll tell you the horrible things my auntie said to me and then we can eat pity shakes together.”

Yuuri’s laughter was nervous, “Okay, well get your butt over here or else I’ll choose an apartment without you.”

Phichit’s brain tripped over itself, “Don’t you dare, Katsuki Yuuri! I will run the entire way instead of waiting for the bus like a sensible person!”

Yuuri scoffed, “You hate running.”

“Oh, it’s on.” Phichit stood up and slung his backpack on.

“Phichit, no, I take it back, please don’t-“

He hung up, tightened the straps of his backpack and took off.

.

“Admit it,” gasped Phichit, “You’re impressed.”

“Impressed you only threw up once,” said Yuuri, handing him a sport’s drink and patting his back.

“I may have overdone it, but you’re impressed.” The lingering effects of binge drinking were definitely _not_ helping. Phichit shuddered against his revolting stomach.

“I’m impressed,” said Yuuri, relenting. “Now get up, Mr. Impressive, I really like these apartments, they’ve got balconies and are gated.”

“Do they allow pets?” asked Phichit, swishing the drink in his mouth and spitting it back out.

“Umm, I’m not sure. Let’s not worry about that right now.”

They walk through the shortlist of apartment layouts that Yuuri liked.

They walked through the apartment together, Phichit outlining the ways he could decorate everything and Yuuri pacing the rooms to figure out what kind of furniture they could get.

“There’s furniture for rent that’s premeasured,” said the manager showing them the rooms.

“Nah,” said Phichit, “Thank you though.” Yuuri looked at him curiously but shrugged. The apartment wasn’t a studio, so it was pricier, but the location and neighborhood more than made up for the price.

Phichit wandered into the one bedroom and was grateful to see it was modelled like a master bedroom with a large closet and plenty of room for furniture.

“I really like it,” said Yuuri, coming to stand next to him in the doorway of the room, “But what do you think?”

“I think,” said Phichit very seriously, “that we should consider a water bed instead of loft beds.”

Yuuri gaped at him and then laughed, “N-no!”

“Why not?!” Phichit grinned, pretending to whine, “I’ve _dreamed_ of having a water bed as an adult.”

“It’s bad for your back,” said Yuuri, still giggling. “Sorry to kill your childhood dream.”

“My inner child will survive,” said Phichit stoutly, “since I get to share an apartment with my best friend.”

Yuuri pressed his hand to his lips, hiding a smile, “I’m very glad.”

They rejoined the lease manager in the kitchen. “Well, if you both agree. I can sign you up right now to secure a place, with a four hundred dollar refundable deposit.”

“Each?” asked Yuuri, drumming his fingers on the counter top.

“Yes. It’s standard.”

“A minute?” said Yuuri, noticing the disappointment twisting itself in Phichit’s face. He tugged Phichit into one of the rooms, there were already tears in his eyes.

“Phichit, what’s... what’s wrong?” Yuuri reached out and cupped his face, “Why-“

“I don’t have the money.”

Yuuri sighed in relief, “Don’t worry about it. I can pay it. I’ll get it back anyway, right? Besides, the rent’s ridiculously cheap.”

“No no, you can’t. It’s so much-“ Almost angrily, he dashed away the tears, he wouldn’t cry. Yuuri didn’t need to deal with-

Yuuri stepped in close and poked his chest, “Excuse me, but I’m the one who is usually the crying mess in a relationship. I resent you taking that from me.”

“Wh-What?” Phichit could only stutter and try to understand what the hell Yuuri was talking about.

“You said you were going to tell me what your auntie told you.”

Phichit sniffed, realizing that Yuuri was teasing him in his own oblique and nervy way. “You’re going to pay the deposit?” Yuuri nodded, waving away the cost. “Can we get ice cream after this?”

They walked back out and Yuuri wrote a check for eight hundred dollars which made Phichit cringe. The woman thanked them and then said oh so casually, “Oh, painting the rooms is allowed as long as you paint them back to white before you leave, pets are not allowed not even fish, and if you two are harassed please report it to the police or management because we _will_ evict people for that kind of thing. My wife and I live in building three, you see.”

Phichit watched Yuuri turn crimson and mutter his thanks, and march them off the premises without looking back at the lady. Phichit did wave once.

“Why are you blushing like that Yuuri? What did the lady mean?”

“She said no pets,” Yuuri’s voice was stiff as his posture, “You have your bus pass?”

“Yeah I have it. The lady said something that embarrassed you, come on, spill.”

“Ugh,” said Yuuri, he crossed his arms, “She thought we were together, like dating.” He clarified before Phichit could misunderstand.

Phichit copied Yuuri’s stance, drawing an eyeroll from his friend. “So what? Maybe we are just that cute? I admit you’ve got that whole twink-look down to a science.”

Yuuri gasped and squeezed Phichit’s arm, who only laughed.

“Who-“ sputtered Yuuri, “Who _taught_ you such language??”

“I heard it from some frat boys and then I googled it. They also said some rude words for gay people.”

The ice cream place near campus was full of people, but they managed to grab two stools by the front window. Yuuri ate chocolate mint and Phichit favored pistachio which Yuuri insisted was disgusting and a crime to humanity.

“Wait...” Yuuri narrowed his eyes at Phichit, “Did someone call you a twink? Or a fag?”

Phichit rolled his eyes. “No. At least not to my face yet, but the day’s still early. And even if they did,” said Phichit before he lost his nerve, “They wouldn’t be wrong. Okay?”

He expected the silence while Yuuri processed what he said. He did not expect Yuuri to nod along, “Okay. Yeah... uh. Me too.” Yuuri took a huge bite out of his ice cream and looked away.

They ate their ice cream quietly, “My family’s nice,” said Phichit, a tad defensively, “but it’s not like here where there are LGBTQ clubs around every corner. Thailand is nice but things like affection and love are more reserved for privacy.”

Yuuri rested his ankle on his knee, “My family’s from a small town. I think everyone knew before even I knew. They never made a bit deal about it. It wasn’t until I went to the high school in a bigger town that I realized that it was something kids would tease me about.”

“Oh,” said Phichit, “What happened?”

“My older sister got into a lot of fights. But it’s okay, she’s a punk.”

Phichit gasped, “You call your protector an insult so easily?!”

Yuuri hastily corrected him, “I meant that she’s a rebel. A punk. She has like twenty piercings!”

“Wow,” Phichit finished his ice cream, “How did she fit them all on her face?”

Yuuri pursed his lips, “I don’t.... think they’re all on her face...”

“Wow,” said Phichit again trying to reconcile the Yuuri in front of him having a rebellious sibling. “I was never teased at school, but it’s only because everyone was too scared of me. I was a huge gossip, so blackmail became my specialty.”

“Still your specialty?” asked Yuuri cheekily.

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” asked Phichit demurely.

“So that’s a yes.” Yuuri stood up, “Come on. It’s getting late and I have homework.”

“Dancing homework or paper homework?” asked Phichit, if it was homework for his dance classes, Yuuri would disappear into the studio for hours.

“Paper,” said Yuuri with a groan.

“Me too! Let’s meet up at the main library in... two hours? I’ll bring some yummy snacks.”

 

 

 


End file.
